Pike's Back!

In an email to fans, Robert Crais indicates that Joe Pike will make a return appearance as the star of his own novel.

The novel, The First Rule, is tentatively set for publication in February, 2010.

Here's what Crais has to say about the novel:

Frank and Cindy Meyer had the American dream – until the day a professional robbery crew invaded their home and murdered everyone inside. The only thing out of the ordinary about Frank was that – before his family, business, and oh-so-normal life – a younger Frank Meyer worked as a professional mercenary . . . with a man named Joe Pike.

Pike learns of the crime when the police question him. The same crew has done other home invasions, and all the targets have been criminals with large stashes of cash or drugs. The police believe the same is true of Frank, but Pike does not, and with the help of Elvis Cole, he sets out to clear his friend . . . and punish the people who murdered him.

They won’t know what hit them.

The first rule: Don’t make Pike mad.

Reading Update

I've been reading rather than posting. I'll try to do better.

Here's my reading since the last time I posted a summary. On pace to read 180 books this year with 90 books completed by the end of June.

A quick explanation of the numbers: the column on the left represents the number of books read. For example, Victory Over Japan is the 78th book is read in 2009. I completed it on June 5 and it had 277 pages.

78. Victory Over Japan, Ellen Gilchrist. Stories 6-5 277

79. Brooklyn, Colm Toibin. Fiction 6-7 262

80. Road Dogs, Elmore Leonard. Thriller 6-8 262

81. Gone Tomorrow, Lee Child. Thriller 6-9 421

82. Nocturnes, Kazuo Ishiguro. Stories 6-11 221

83. The Scarecrow, Michael Connelly. Thriller 6-13 419

84. Leadership on the Line, Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty

Linsky. Leadership 6-14 236

85. The Little Stranger, Sarah Waters. Fiction 6-17 499

86. The Complete Game, Ron Darling. Baseball 6-19 255

87. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Alan Bradley. Mystery 6-21 370

88. The Angel’s Game, Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Fiction 6-26 531

89. Lark & Termite, Jayne Anne Phillips. Fiction 6-29 254

90. Miracle Ball, Brian Biegel. Baseball 6-30 227

July

91. In the Kitchen, Monica Ali. Fiction 7-3 430

92. I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a

Woman, Nora Ephron. Humor 7-4 137

93. Exiles in the Garden, Ward Just. Fiction 7-5 279

94. A Short History of Women, Kate Walbert. Fiction 7-7 237